1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to accessory support structures. More specifically, the present invention relates to adapters for attaching accessories (e.g., firearms) to support structures (e.g., tripods).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Support structures, such as tripods, are often used for supporting accessories such as photographic and video cameras. Though most tripods were originally designed for use with video and/or photographic cameras, such camera-style tripods are increasingly being used by firearm users to support heavy firearms, to provide increased shooting accuracy and to reduce motion from recoil.
Many firearm users have started taking advantage of the benefits of using tripods and similar support structures in conjunction with firearms. For example, firearm users such as hunters, military personnel and specialized police units, oftentimes must wait for long periods of time before an anticipated target appears. Such users may employ tripods to support the firearm and decrease user fatigue while waiting for an anticipated target. Additionally, many external conditions such as the physical environment, terrain and weather, dictate a firearm user's shooting location and shooting position. A tripod, however, allows a firearm user to overcome adverse shooting conditions by providing an adjustable shooting platform that allows the user to shoot in prone, sitting, kneeling or standing positions.
Cameras and similar accessories are generally configured for direct attachment to camera-style tripods, which come equipped with any of a variety of tripod heads for accessory attachment. For example, as is well known in the art, many camera-style tripods come equipped with a standard quick-attach tripod head that accepts a standard camera mounting plate. The camera mounting plate may be mounted to a bottom surface of a camera or similar accessory, thereby allowing the accessory to be quickly and releasably attached to the quick-attach tripod head.
Due to differences in size, shape, weight and application of cameras compared to firearms, however, firearms are not generally adapted for direct attachment to tripod heads. Thus, adapters, including a variety of gun rests and arm rests, have been employed to enable attachment of firearms to tripod heads. Design problems in current adapters, however, present several disadvantages.
For example, many current devices are designed to provide shooting rests so that a user can rest his or her arms while trying to maintain a firearm in a nonmoving position. Even with the help of a gun rest and/or an arm rest, however, it is unfeasible for a user to hold a firearm in a nonmoving position for an extended period of time. This creates a problem for a firearm user because even the slightest movement of the firearm barrel translates into large deviations from long-range targets. Additionally, current devices that purport to physically support a firearm user while awaiting a target, are generally large, cumbersome and heavy. Consequently, these devices create a considerable amount of additional equipment for a user to carry into the field and these devices cannot be easily moved from location to location. Further, most current devices attach to a firearm at two points—the forearm of the firearm and the stock of the firearm. Such attachment complicates disengagement of the firearm from the support structure which could thereby create a dangerous situation for certain users (e.g., military personnel in combat situations).
Currently, a need exists for an accessory adapter for firearms and similar accessories that can be easily and quickly attached to and removed from a number of different types of support structures including tripods and bipods. There is a need for an accessory adapter that is compact and lightweight, thereby making said adapter easy to transport and store. An adapter is needed that will transform standard camera tripods into versatile shooting platforms that can support firearms. In addition, an adapter is needed that allows a user to interchange accessories (e.g., a camera, firearm, spotting scope, binoculars, etc.) using the same support structure. An adapter is needed that does not require support for both the forearm of a firearm and the stock of the firearm. Further, an adapter is needed that allows the firearm to be disengaged quickly from the support structure under field conditions. Unlike existing gun rests that are unstable and cumbersome to adjust, a need exists for an adapter that allows a user to quickly and effortlessly make precise adjustments of the firearm. Similarly, a device is needed that reduces the possibility of alerting a potential target to the user's presence by providing for minimal movement of the firearm as the user gets into a firing position.
In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that a need exists in the art for an adapter and a mechanism for attaching accessories to support structures which overcomes, mitigates or solves the above problems in the art. It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill this and other needs in the art which will become more apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.